Passenger carrying amusement device



Feb. 13, 1934. A. SPILLMAN PASSENGER CARRYING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Albert bj Epllmem A. SPILLMAN PASSENGER CARRYING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed Aug. 5, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UT l 111// z /5 (Za l El l lnuenlur' Alberi: Spllman .Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PASSENGER CARRYING AMUSEMENT DEVICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in passenger carrying amusement devices and the object of my invention is to provide a device of the rotatable type in which a plurality of spaced apart swingable cars have a rotative movement around a flat car supporting platform and in which means are provided whereby the passen-' -gers can swing the cars, in which they are riding, at will as they rotate.

A further object of my invention is to support each of the cars at three points, viz. a pair of trailing castors supporting the rear ends of the cars, and rods or other members extending downwardly from an upper rotating structure supporting the front ends of the cars and about which the cars swing and also by means of which the cars are carried around the platform in their rotative movement.

A still further object of my invention is to furnish a wheel, which somewhat corresponds to an automobile steering wheel, ixedly secured upon each of the car supporting rods and by means of which the passengers can secure a leverage to swing the cars as they rotate.

My invention consists of an amusement device constructed and arranged all as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my complete device. Y

Fig. 2 is a schematic view rof a vertical cross section through my device showing a rotating structure from which the front ends of the cars are supported and rotated.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal sectional view through fragmentary portions of one of the cars showing the mounting thereof.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the lock washers as illustrated in Fig. 3 for detachably securing the cars to the supporting rods, and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the washer taken through the line 6 6, Fig. 5.

Like characters of reierence indicate corresponding parts in the diierent views in the drawings.

My device as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 incorporates a flat circular platform 1 which is raised slightly above the ground level and around which the passenger cars travel. Centrally of the platform 1 a centre post 2 is furnished to support the upper rotating structure and also the awning cover 3.

The rotating structure can be constructed as desired and in construction forms no essential part of my invention. The form as illustrated in Fig. 2 comprises a plurality of substantially horizontal sweeps 4 radiating from a bearing 5 car-V ried by the centre post 2. The sweeps 4 are supported in position by brace rods 6 which extend from an upper bearing 7 upon the centre post 2 to the ends of the sweeps where any suitable type of connection can be made. The ends of the sweeps are inter-connected by tangential members 8 which retain them in their spaced relation.

The sweep ends carry depending rods 9 each of which supports a car as shall herein after be described. The rods 9 are retained inv their vertical positions by brace rods 10 which extend therefrom to the tangential members. 8 as illus` trated in Fig. 1. Y

Each of the cars ll has its rear end carried by a pair of castors 12 which are swingably mounted underneath the cars and roll upon the platform 1. The forward ends of the cars are sup ported by the depending rods 9 as illustrated in Fig. 3.

In providing a suitable construction for supporting a car by the rod 9 wherein the car can swing about the rod, I furnish a vertical sleeve 13 running from topI to bottom of the car inY the vicinity of its front end and through which the lower portion of the rod 9 extends, the lower end of the sleeve 13 being, welded to a channel piece 14 which extends transversely of the car and is furnished with an orice 15 through which the rod 9 also extends. The lower portion of the rod 9Y which extends through the channel 14 is of reduced diameter and in order to make the rods as light as possible for transportation purposes and also for ease in assembling I preferably pro-V vide them of tube form furnished with plug portions 16 in their lower ends which form the reduced diameters.

To swingably support the cars by the rods I furnish ball or roller bearings 1'7 within the channel Apieces 14 and registering with the orifices 15,

the bearings 17 being retained in place by thrust Y plates 1S which extend between the lower edges of the channels and are welded or otherwise secured thereto. Y

To provide a detachable bearing lock between rod plugs 16 and/the bearings 1'7, I form the plugs 16 with grooves 19 in the vinicity of their lower ends, the grooves 19 being adapted to receive U shaped washers 20 which pass freely through orices 21 in the thrust plates 18 and support the bottoms of the bearings 17.

A LI shaped washer 20 is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and comprises a washer of inverted L shape cross section and formed with a slot 22 of substantially the same width as the diameter of the plug in the groove 19. The larger inner diameter 23 of the washer formed by the L shaped cross section is of substantially the same diameter as the lower end 24 of the plug 16 which it receives, the washer resting upon the plug shoulder 25 formed by the groove 19. The groove 19 is of suiiicient width to permitl the washer 20 to be inserted when it is then dropped down to rest upon the shoulder 25.

My device is, of course, of the portable type, that is capable of being dissembled and moved from one amusement park to another, and therefore the platform is formed of a plurality of sections capable of being joined together. The centre post 2 is erected centrally of the platform and in practice is supported by a plurality of struts 26. For the rotative device any suitable mechanism may be provided, as for example a ring gear mounted concentrically with the centre post 2 and attached to the sweeps ll. The ring gear 27 in turn may mesh with a driving pinion 28 suitably connected to a source of power interiorally of the platform l, as for example a small gasoline motor. The awning cover 3 extends downwardly from the centre post 2 and is supported at its periphery by a plurality of posts 29.

When the structure as illustrated in Fig. 2 is rotated the cars 1l rotate around the platform 1, being held in equi-distant spaced relation by the tangential members 8 extending from sweep to sweep. As previously explained, the cars 1l Iare each free to independently rotate about their supporting rods 9, and each of the rods 9 carries a wheel 30 corresponding to an automobile steering wheel which is fixed to the rod and adapted to be grasped by the occupants of the cars.

As the wheels 30 are xed against rotation through being secured to the rods 9 and as the cars 11 are free to swing about the rods 9, it will be seen that as the occupants endeavor to turn the wheels 30 they will exert a leverage i against the sides of the car seats and cause the cars to swing, or if sufficient pull is exerted, cause the cars to completely rotate about their supporting rods. In this manner the passengers can cause their respective cars to swing or gyrate as the cars travel around the platform 1, or if they so desire, allow the cars to merely travel around with little or no swinging movement. This device has been found to be of great attraction particularly to children as they can with little effort obtain a variety of swinging motions and directions of travel as the cars rotate around the platform.

In mounting the cars upon the rods 9 the U shaped washers 20 are removed from the bottoms of the rods and the rods inserted through the sleeves 13, orifices 15 in the channels le and bearings 17. The grooves 19 in the rods are thus exposed below the bearings 17 and also below the thrust plates 18 and when the rods are in this position the U washers 20 have their slots 22 positioned about the reduced rod portions in the grooves 19 so that the increased dialneter portions 23 of the washers surround the lower rod ends 24 wherein the washers rest upon the shoulders. 25 formed by the grooves 19. The weight of the cars is then allowed to be received by the washers 20 so that the washers pass into the orices 2l in the thrust plates 18 and support the bearings 17 which in turn support the channels 14 of the cars. In removing the cars the operation is reversed, that is the cars are lifted up sufliciently to allow the washers 20 to be removed when the rods 9 can be taken out of the sleeves 13.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have devised a particularly simple and yet attractive form of amusement device and although I have shown a particular form of my invention it is to be understood that I can make such changes and alterations as I may from time to time deem necessary without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In an amusement device, the combination with a stationary circular platform and a rotating structure concentric therewith and mounted above the platform, of a plurality of passenger carrying cars positioned underneath the rotating structure and each pivotally supported at one end by the structure and rolling at the other end upon the platform, and means carried by the structure independently of the cars and adapted to be grasped by the passengers to swing the cars as they rotate.

2. In an amusement device, the combination with a stationary circular platform and a rotating structure concentric therewith and mounted above the platform, of a plurality of passenger carrying cars each pivotally supported at one end by the structure and rolling at the other end upon the platform, a plurality of rods depending downwardly from the structure and to which the cars are pivotally attached, and leverage handle means carried by the rods and adapted to be grasped by the passengers to swing the cars as they rotate.

3. In an amusement device, a stationary platform, a structure moving thereabove, a rod depending downwardly from the structure to the vicinity of the platform, a passenger carrying car partially supported by and pivotally secured to the lower end of the rod for free swinging movement therearound, and castors also supporting the car and rolling upon the platform.

Ll. In an amusement device, a stationary platform, a structure moving thcreabove, a rod depending downwardly from the structure and having a peripheral groove in the vicinity of its lower end, a passenger carrying car pivotally supported by the rod, a bearing carried upon the i bottom of the car and through which the grooved portion of the rod projects, and a U-shaped member slidable into the peripheral groove in the rod underneath the bearing and upon which the bearing rests.

ALBERT SPILLMAN. 

